The Minnesota Land Trust and Northern Waters Land Trust partnered to protect a portion of the land surrounding the historic 3M retreat center on Big Mantrap Lake in Hubbard County. This conservation achievement ensures that approximately 449 acres of ecologically significant land and over six miles of shoreline will be permanently safeguarded for future generations. 

Mantrap Lake is a designated Lake of Outstanding Biological Significance known for its wild rice habitat, pristine water quality, and vital fish and bird populations. It spans 1,618 acres and reaches a depth of 68 feet. Home to loons, muskie, northern pike, bass, and black crappie, the lake and surrounding lands are an important sanctuary for migratory birds and other wildlife. 

Partners’ Multi-Year Effort Pays Off

This resounding conservation success is the result of a multi-year effort that began when 3M announced the sale of the property in April 2023. Recognizing its ecological importance, Northern Waters Land Trust, Minnesota Land Trust, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Conservation Fund, and Trust for Public Land came together to explore protection strategies and to collectively work to complete the project.  

In May 2023, these partner organizations submitted a letter of intent to 3M, initiating a complex negotiation process that would take nearly two years to finalize. Ultimately, 449 acres of undeveloped land was purchased in March 2025 by Northern Waters Land Trust and Minnesota Land Trust, with the help of the Department of Natural Resources. This project was funded through the state’s Outdoor Heritage Fund, as a part of the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment, with a matching contribution of Federal funding through the Minnesota Loon Restoration Project. 

This is an incredible conservation outcome for the state of Minnesota and especially the communities near Mantrap Lake and the greater Big Sand Watershed.

Big Sand Watershed Closer to 75% Protection

Protecting at least 75% of the land around a lake or river is crucial for maintaining its long-term health, water quality, and ecological balance. When too much land in a watershed is developed or farmed, runoff and pollution increase and the sensitive balance of aquatic ecosystems is disrupted, which can result in algae overgrowth, dead zones, and water that isn’t suitable for swimming, paddling, or fishing.  

Adding these 449 protected acres puts the Big Sand Watershed within 10% of reaching its 75% protection goal, a milestone that will further safeguard the region’s abundant fisheries and thriving ecosystems.  

“This project really exemplifies the power of forward-thinking land protection strategies,” said Ruurd Schoolderman, Program Manager at the Minnesota Land Trust. “With this acquisition, we are safeguarding an extraordinary landscape that will provide clean water, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities for generations to come.”

Future Public Access and Broader Conservation Benefits for Minnesota

The land—which was originally acquired by 3M in 1955—will eventually be conveyed to the Minnesota DNR and open to the public. The new Wildlife Management Area (WMA) will be accessible to the public for outdoor recreation like hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation. 

“Protecting this property means securing a future where more people can enjoy the beauty of Mantrap Lake while ensuring that critical habitats remain intact,” said Annie Knight, Executive Director of Northern Waters Land Trust.” 

Ongoing conservation efforts like this are vital especially as pressures on natural lands and water intensify across Minnesota. Once natural habitat is parceled and developed, it can no longer filter and protect water, prevent flooding and runoff, or sustain the species biodiversity at the heart of thriving ecosystems. In fact, often these ecological benefits are significantly diminished or lost permanently.  

“Now more than ever, local land protection programs are critical to ensuring the long-term health of our landscapes,” said Wayne Ostlie, Director of Land Protection at the Minnesota Land Trust. “With so much uncertainty surrounding federal conservation programs, it is up to all of us to champion conservation at the state and local level.”

Landowners Are Part of the 75% Solution

Landowners in the Big Sand Watershed can continue to play a key role in helping reach the 75% protection goal and preserving water quality, wildlife habitat, and the natural heritage of Northern Minnesota. Landowners with over 40 acres of natural land should contact us to learn more about grant funded protection programs as there may be tax advantages or financial incentives available.

This project was made possible with funding from Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund, as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature and recommended by the Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC), with Federal funding through the Minnesota Loon Restoration Project, and by supporters of the Minnesota Land Trust and Northern Waters Land Trust. 

More Protection Stories from Northern Minnesota

• 
  Historic 3M Land on Mantrap Lake Protected for Conservation and Public Access
  The Minnesota Land Trust and Northern Waters Land Trust partnered to protect a portion of the land surrounding the historic 3M retreat center on Big Mantrap Lake in Hubbard County. This conservation achievement ensures that approximately 449 acres of ecologically significant land and over six miles of shoreline will be… Read more: Historic 3M Land on Mantrap Lake Protected for Conservation and Public Access
• 
  Partnership Protects Bad Axe Lake, Northern Minnesota Fisheries
  SAINT PAUL, Minn, April 26, 2023 — Together, the Minnesota Land Trust and the Northern Lights Council of the Boy Scouts of America have permanently protected a portion of Boy Scout Camp Wilderness, including over 3,600 feet of natural shoreline on Bad Axe Lake and 219 acres of land and… Read more: Partnership Protects Bad Axe Lake, Northern Minnesota Fisheries
• 
  Protecting Pancake Lake in the Mississippi Headwaters
  The Minnesota Land Trust has protected beautiful, undeveloped Pancake Lake in Cass County, MN, and a portion of Boy River, which connects seven deep, tullibee-supporting cold water lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters region of Minnesota. Pancake Lake is surrounded by 222 acres of undeveloped hardwood forest and wetlands, including forested… Read more: Protecting Pancake Lake in the Mississippi Headwaters
• 
  Protecting the Outdoors for Future Generations—YMCA Camp Olson
    When E.O. Olson donated the land near Longville that would become YMCA Camp Olson in 1954, he inscribed these words on the dedication plaque: “One man may not live to see his dreams come true, but his institutions carry on. We hope the Young Man’s Christian Association will preserve… Read more: Protecting the Outdoors for Future Generations—YMCA Camp Olson
• 
  A Link Between Fish and Forest
  It’s prophetic, in a way, that Candace Gouze’s birthday falls on Earth Day. After all, she’s led her family’s extraordinary efforts to protect their own little piece of the earth on Washburn Lake in Cass County. Over time, little by little, bit by bit they’ve acquired property around their family… Read more: A Link Between Fish and Forest

SAINT PAUL, Minn, April 26, 2023 — Together, the Minnesota Land Trust and the Northern Lights Council of the Boy Scouts of America have permanently protected a portion of Boy Scout Camp Wilderness, including over 3,600 feet of natural shoreline on Bad Axe Lake and 219 acres of land and water near Park Rapids, Minnesota.  

Conserving this important landscape preserves high-quality habitat that supports a diverse population of plant and animal species including the ecologically critical tullibee (aka “cisco”) in Bad Axe Lake and downstream Tullibee Refuge Lakes. 

Permanently protecting this portion of Camp Wilderness, situated on the shores of Bad Axe Lake, also ensures that immersive nature adventures remain accessible to youth for years to come, critical in a region of Minnesota that is losing more of its undeveloped and sensitive shorelands to the construction of vacation homes. Read the full press release.

What Happened

• Over 3,600 feet of natural shoreline on Bad Axe Lake has been permanently protected through a conservation easement. This is a lake of Outstanding Biological Significance that provides habitat for many of Minnesota’s large gamefish species. 
  
• 219 acres of land and water were protected within Paul Bunyan State Forest, helping ensure contiguous habitat remains intact to support wildlife. 
  
• Camp Wilderness has been in operation since 1946 as an important resource enabling the Northern Lights Council, BSA to deliver vibrant outdoor programs that are critical to the Scouting experience. The camp is nationally recognized and fully accredited by the Boy Scouts of America.
  
• The conservation easement ensures that immersive nature adventures remain accessible to youth for years to come, critical in a region of Minnesota that is losing more of its undeveloped and sensitive shorelands to the construction of vacation homes.  
  
• To date, the Minnesota Land Trust has helped legally and permanently protect 37 camps, nature centers and environmental learning centers (ELCs) across Minnesota, preserving 4,856 acres of natural land and over 37 miles of undeveloped shoreline.

Key Quotes

Read the full press release.

Image Gallery

This conservation easement was made possible by the members of the Minnesota Land Trust and with funding from Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund, as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature and recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC).

The Minnesota Land Trust has protected beautiful, undeveloped Pancake Lake in Cass County, MN, and a portion of Boy River, which connects seven deep, tullibee-supporting cold water lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters region of Minnesota.

Pancake Lake is surrounded by 222 acres of undeveloped hardwood forest and wetlands, including forested peatlands, bog, and wet meadows, which help preserve the water quality and aquatic habitat of Pancake Lake. The property is estimated to sequester about 39 metric tons of carbon per year, the equivalent of 30 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year!

According to Minnesota Land Trust Conservation Program Manager Ruurd Schoolderman, “In our line of work, it’s relatively rare to be able to permanently protect an entire lake. So we were really excited and fortunate to have the opportunity to do that here. Because of the landowners’ commitment to conservation, this habitat complex will be able to support wildlife and recreation for future generations even in the face of climate change.”

Protecting Tullibee Lakes & Minnesota’s Large Gamefish

Tullibee, sometimes referred to as “cisco” or “chub,” is a native species of cold-water whitefish found in deep, cold, oxygen-rich lakes in northern Minnesota. Tullibee is an important nutrient-rich food source for large gamefish like walleye, northern pike, muskellunge and lake trout.  

Threats to tullibee include warming waters due to climate change and deforestation, and “eutrophication” from shoreline development and land use conversion in the lake’s watershed.  

Eutrophication occurs when increased nitrogen and phosphorus levels from agriculture promote algae growth in lakes. When algae eventually die and decompose on the lake bottom it depletes oxygen levels there. Tullibee requires both oxygen and the cold-water refuge of the lake bottom in order to survive.  

Private forest landowners play a crucial role in the protection of Minnesota’s tullibee and large gamefish in a region of Minnesota experiencing rapid commercial and private development. Tullibee have been documented in seven lakes in the region where the protected property is located, including Birch Lake, Pleasant Lake, Big Deep Lake, Woman Lake, Inguadona Lake, Boy Lake, and Leech Lake.  

• Minnesota has around 650 tullibee lakes, more than any other state in the lower 48.  
• A study conducted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and University of Minnesota found that only about 27% of Minnesota’s tullibee lakes (176) are predicted to be able to sustain the species even after further climate warming occurs in Minnesota. 
• It’s estimated that tullibee numbers have declined about 60% over the last 30 years. 
• Shoreline development, deforestation, excess nutrients, and climate change threaten tullibee habitat. 
• Because water from miles around a lake impacts its health, protecting the land in the watershed and not just along the shoreline is critical. In fact, preserving 75% of a lake’s watershed reduces the threat to tullibee. 
• They are relatively sensitive to changes in water temperature and oxygen levels and serve as an indicator species for overall water quality and lake health. 
• With 5,400 fishable lakes and over 18,000 miles of fishable rivers and streams, Minnesota is one of the nation’s top fishing destinations—1.4 million people purchase a Minnesota fishing license each year, supporting 28,000 jobs and generating $4.4 billion annually.  
• Walleye is the top fish sought by anglers, followed by northern pike and muskie combined, all of which feed on tullibee.

Prioritizing Resilient Lands in the Face of Climate Change

The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient Land Mapping tool rates the protected property with an “above average” resilience score. Compared to other sites in the region, it has a relatively high capacity to maintain species diversity and environmental services as the climate changes. The property is able to support several Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) including the red-shouldered hawk, purple martin, and northern long-eared bat.

Protected Property Land Resilience Score

Protected Property Photo Gallery

Click or tap on the photos to view full sized images of this beautiful protected property and related wildlife and habitats.

Funding for the acquisition of this easement was provided by Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC). Specifically, the Easement was funded through the Fisheries Habitat Protection on Strategic North Central Minnesota Lakes – Phase VI program.

Help Us Protect More of Minnesota’s Mississippi Headwaters Region

Your gift helps us reach more landowners and supports critical conservation work like the protection of Pancake Lake.

Donate Today!

Article Contributors

Written by: Sarah Sullivan–Communications & Marketing Manager
Professional review by: Ruurd Schoolderman–Conservation Program Manager

As Seen in the 2023 Spring Review

This property was featured in the Minnesota Land Trust’s 2023 Spring Review publication, focusing on the importance of protecting Minnesota’s clean and fresh water.

Thank you for your continued support of habitat conservation, restoration, and nature engagement in Minnesota.

More from the Mississippi Headwaters

• 
  Historic 3M Land on Mantrap Lake Protected for Conservation and Public Access
  The Minnesota Land Trust and Northern Waters Land Trust partnered to protect a portion of the land surrounding the historic 3M retreat center on Big Mantrap Lake in Hubbard County. This conservation achievement ensures that approximately 449 acres of ecologically significant land and over six miles of shoreline will be permanently safeguarded for future generations. … Read more: Historic 3M Land on Mantrap Lake Protected for Conservation and Public Access
• 
  Partnership Protects Bad Axe Lake, Northern Minnesota Fisheries
  SAINT PAUL, Minn, April 26, 2023 — Together, the Minnesota Land Trust and the Northern Lights Council of the Boy Scouts of America have permanently protected a portion of Boy Scout Camp Wilderness, including over 3,600 feet of natural shoreline on Bad Axe Lake and 219 acres of land and water near Park Rapids, Minnesota.  … Read more: Partnership Protects Bad Axe Lake, Northern Minnesota Fisheries
• 
  Protecting Pancake Lake in the Mississippi Headwaters
  The Minnesota Land Trust has protected beautiful, undeveloped Pancake Lake in Cass County, MN, and a portion of Boy River, which connects seven deep, tullibee-supporting cold water lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters region of Minnesota. Pancake Lake is surrounded by 222 acres of undeveloped hardwood forest and wetlands, including forested peatlands, bog, and wet meadows,… Read more: Protecting Pancake Lake in the Mississippi Headwaters

When E.O. Olson donated the land near Longville that would become YMCA Camp Olson in 1954, he inscribed these words on the dedication plaque: “One man may not live to see his dreams come true, but his institutions carry on. We hope the Young Man’s Christian Association will preserve in this camp a paradise of forest beauty where youth and their leaders will find joy and inspiration in the years to come.” As the camp has grown through the years, those words have guided multiple generations of kids and young adults as they explored the outdoors. And now, 66 years after E. O. Olson first inscribed those words, Camp Olson has taken another step to cement his legacy by protecting the land it’s on forever through the Minnesota Land Trust.

“YMCA Camp Olson is thriving today as a summer camp with 100% occupancy, growing programs, and amazing young leaders,” says Russ Link, executive director at Camp Olson. “As we continue to strategize and evaluate our future growth and capacity, we will not lose sight of the importance of protecting this gift and the intent of our founders”.

photo by Paul Raymaker

Today, YMCA Camp Olson stretches over 1250 acres of diverse forest habitat in Cass County. It also contains extensive shoreline on Cooper and Little Boy Lakes, both of which are important tullibee lakes that provide feeder fish for larger game fish like walleye and muskie. These lakes also provide important habitat for iconic Minnesota birds such as the common loon. Through a partnership between the Minnesota Land Trust and the Northern Waters Land Trust, Camp Olson has now protected over 2,000 feet of shoreline along Cooper Lake and intends to continue to add additional easements in subsequent phases.

“By keeping this shoreline in its natural state, the Camp is ensuring that the cool waters of Cooper Lake will continue to support tullibee fish,” says Ruurd Schoolderman, program manager for the Minnesota Land Trust. “As our state starts to feel the effects of climate change, cold water refuges like this will become increasingly important if we’re to maintain the game fishing industry of our state.”

Rainbow over Camp Olson. Photo by Paul Raymaker.

By putting over 39 acres into an easement with the Land Trust, the camp has become an important champion for the protection of wildlife habitat and will share that conservation ethic with generations of youth attending the camp. Hundreds of kids pass through Camp Olson every year, drawing campers from Minnesota and across the globe. The camp’s natural setting allows youth to have direct experiences with nature. This helps foster a connection to the larger world around them and help create new stewards of the natural world.

“Last summer the camp provided 240 children with over $90,000 in scholarship support to attend camp,” says Michael Holmes, Board Chairman at Camp Olson. “I have been connected with Camp Olson for over 40 years, and access for all is an important part of our mission. Proceeds from this easement will be restricted in the camp’s endowment fund, and earnings will support the camp scholarship programs.”

Camp Olson offers youth a wide range of outdoor activities. Photo by Paul Raymaker.

“The Northern Waters Land Trust (NWLT) is so pleased to work in partnership with the Minnesota Land Trust to bring this conservation easement to fruition,” said Tim Bremicker, NWLT Chairman. “NWLT and the Cass County Soil and Water Conservation District have partnered for over 25 years in land protection efforts on the camp. The first publicly-funded lakeshore conservation easement in the State was secured on 195 acres of camp property in 1999. Together we will continue to protect more of this unique landscape for generations to come.”

“One of my children attended Camp Olson and loved the programming and beautiful setting for camping and exploring nature; so, it’s been a thrill for me to work with them to protect this important resource,” says Schoolderman. “I am grateful to the Camp Olson leadership for their foresight in protecting this unique property for the important fish and wildlife species that depend on it and for future generations of campers to enjoy.”

This permanent conservation easement was made possible by the members of the Minnesota Land Trust, with funding from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature and recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC). Thank you to the Northern Waters Land Trust for their partnership on this project, and most of all to everyone at YMCA Camp Olson for protecting this unique property forever.

More from the Mississippi Headwaters

• 
  Historic 3M Land on Mantrap Lake Protected for Conservation and Public Access
  The Minnesota Land Trust and Northern Waters Land Trust partnered to protect a portion of the land surrounding the historic 3M retreat center on Big Mantrap Lake in Hubbard County. This conservation achievement ensures that approximately 449 acres of ecologically significant land and over six miles of shoreline will be permanently safeguarded for future generations. … Read more: Historic 3M Land on Mantrap Lake Protected for Conservation and Public Access
• 
  Partnership Protects Bad Axe Lake, Northern Minnesota Fisheries
  SAINT PAUL, Minn, April 26, 2023 — Together, the Minnesota Land Trust and the Northern Lights Council of the Boy Scouts of America have permanently protected a portion of Boy Scout Camp Wilderness, including over 3,600 feet of natural shoreline on Bad Axe Lake and 219 acres of land and water near Park Rapids, Minnesota.  … Read more: Partnership Protects Bad Axe Lake, Northern Minnesota Fisheries
• 
  Protecting Pancake Lake in the Mississippi Headwaters
  The Minnesota Land Trust has protected beautiful, undeveloped Pancake Lake in Cass County, MN, and a portion of Boy River, which connects seven deep, tullibee-supporting cold water lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters region of Minnesota. Pancake Lake is surrounded by 222 acres of undeveloped hardwood forest and wetlands, including forested peatlands, bog, and wet meadows,… Read more: Protecting Pancake Lake in the Mississippi Headwaters

Candace and Steve Gouze

It’s prophetic, in a way, that Candace Gouze’s birthday falls on Earth Day. After all, she’s led her family’s extraordinary efforts to protect their own little piece of the earth on Washburn Lake in Cass County.

Over time, little by little, bit by bit they’ve acquired property around their family cabin — wetlands where loons nest, a patch of peaceful woods, neighboring waterfront lots, land along a creek that flows between Washburn and Lake George. Today it adds up to three miles of shoreline and 236 acres of forest that are all protected forever through a conservation easement with the Minnesota Land Trust.

“My mom has always been a conservation-minded person,” said Candace’s daughter, Katie Bliss. As a little girl, Katie was never allowed to buy anything packaged in plastic and even her sandwich had to be wrapped in wax paper, she said. That tradition of conservation has now permeated the whole family, especially when it comes to protecting Washburn Lake.

“This project was a dream for both of us.” – Steve Gouze

Whitefish Lake

Beginning in the early 1990s, they focused on buying contiguous tracts of sensitive land that had a clear impact on the lake’s ecosystem. What drove them was the promise of protecting nesting sites for loons and the subtle beauty of the northern forest.

A perfect fit for their goals and their family, the Gouzes decided to put their accumulated property into a conservation easement with the Minnesota Land Trust. “My mom was very excited about the prospect of protecting it in perpetuity,” said Katie. “Creating the legacy was very important to them. They want this work to be bigger than this generation.”

Now, they are part of a much larger legacy project to protect one of Minnesota’s greatest treasures: our cold-water lakes.

Conservation focus area for the Minnesota Land Trust and Northern Waters Land Trust Partnership

The Minnesota Land Trust and its partner, the Northern Waters Land Trust, are working to protect lakes in Minnesota that, like Washburn, are cold and deep enough to act as a refuge for a sentinel species of fish — tullibee. Also known as herring and cisco, the silver fish are a rich food source for predators like walleye and a key link in the food chain for aquatic species.

“They call it the canary in the coal mine,” said Kathy Moore, executive director of Northern Waters Land Trust. “Once tullibee start being impacted, it impacts the entire food chain in a big way.”

In the last three decades tullibee have declined by about 60 percent in lakes across the state. One reason is climate change. Tullibee can’t survive in water with surface temperatures above 76 degrees Fahrenheit. The other threat is development — lawns, pavement, and agriculture — which drive nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen into lakes, creating a rich environment for algae and other aquatic plants that pull oxygen out of the water.

In shallow lakes, tullibee don’t have a chance. But in deep water lakes they can survive by going to the cold depths as temperatures rise in the summer.

Minnesota state scientists proved it¹ after a drought in 2006 resulted in fish kills all over the state. They found that in clean, clear, deep water lakes where oxygen levels remained high at lower depths, the tullibee survived.

Scientists from the Minnesota DNR and the University of Minnesota identified hundreds of lakes in the state — far more than anywhere else in the country — that would be able to support tullibee decades from now when the average temperatures will be much higher. That makes it imperative to preserve Minnesota’s coldest lakes and the fish that depend on it them.

But which ones should we protect?

photo by Rebecca Field

Researchers found that phosphorus levels in lakes increase significantly when the watershed that surrounds it is more than 25 percent developed or depleted of natural land cover, especially forest. Phosphorus comes from farm fields and flush into the waterways across impervious surfaces like streets and parking lots every time it rains.

That doesn’t happen when the land surrounding a lake is at least 75 percent forest. Today, the two land trusts are working together to target potential conservation land around 50 deep lakes in the Upper Mississippi Watershed that are surrounded by forest, but which are threatened by development. Progress is slow but steady.

To advance this important effort, the Minnesota Land Trust is in part relying on funding provided by the Outdoor Heritage Fund as recommended by Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council. “The tullibee lakes partnership is now in the fifth phase of state funding for the project. A new proposal, which if approved by the Legislature in the 2019 session, would add thousands more acres and feet of protected shoreline,” said Ruurd Schoolderman, Minnesota Land Trust program manager for the region.

This project will result in a true “legacy” of keeping our northern forests wild and our cold-water fisheries world class. And it provides a great model for using a scientific, targeted approach to conservation while simultaneously helping individual lakeshore property owners achieve their own goals of long-term protection for the places that they love.

For people like Steve and Candace Gouze, their grandchildren will be the next generation in their family to spend summers catching walleyes and watching baby loons grow up in the protected bays and wetlands near their cabin. “I don’t know what it’s going to be like for them when they are adults,” Candace said of her grandkids. “But this is one way that we can try to make sure that we will all be better off.”

¹ Craig P. Paukert, Bob A. Glazer, Gretchen J. A. Hansen, Brian J. Irwin, Peter C. Jacobson, Jeffrey L. Kershner, Brian J. Shuter, James E. Whitney & Abigail J. Lynch (2016) Adapting Inland Fisheries Management to a Changing Climate, Fisheries, 41:7, 374-384, DOI: 10.1080/03632415.2016.1185009